GenAI Studio: News, Tools, and Teaching & Learning FAQs
These sixty minute, weekly sessions – facilitated by Technologists and Pedagogy Experts from the CTLT – are designed for faculty and staff at UBC who are using, or thinking about using, Generative AI tools as part of their teaching, researching, or daily work. Each week we discuss the news of the week, highlight a specific tool for use within teaching and learning, and then hold a question and answer session for attendees.
They run on Zoom every Wednesday from 1pm – 2pm and you can register for upcoming events on the CTLT Events Website.
News of the Week
Each week we discuss several new items that happened in the Generative AI space over the past 7 days. There’s usually a flood of new AI-adjacent news every week – as this industry is moving so fast – so we highlight news articles which are relevant to the UBC community.
In this week’s tech news, The Wall Street Journal explores Meta’s AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses, highlighting their accessibility features for the blind while addressing trust concerns. WIRED examines ChatGPT’s role in language learning, showcasing its effectiveness as a personalized tutor while noting its limitations. Thomson Reuters wins the first major AI copyright case in the U.S., setting a precedent for content ownership, while a U.S. Copyright Office report analyzes AI-generated content’s copyrightability and its implications. Ars Technica reports on the release of Grok 3, which tops LLM leaderboards despite controversy over its “based” opinions. Chatbot Arena provides real-time comparisons of leading AI models, offering insights into performance differences. LM Studio introduces new reasoning models and MLX integration, showcasing advancements in AI’s problem-solving capabilities.
Here’s this week’s news:
Meta’s AI-Powered Ray-Bans: A Game Changer for Accessibility
Meta’s AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses offer a glimpse into the future of AI-driven accessibility tools. Designed to assist the blind, these relatively inexpensive smart glasses provide features like text-to-audio conversion, allowing users to read menus or recognize objects in their environment. While the tool feels human-like and seamlessly connected to the real world, some users remain skeptical about fully trusting it. Read more.
ChatGPT as a Language Tutor: Is AI Making Language Learning a Solved Problem?
WIRED explores how ChatGPT’s voice mode is transforming language learning by acting as a conversational tutor. It adapts responses contextually, providing nuanced translations beyond direct word-for-word equivalents. This tool benefits non-native English speakers in academic settings but faces challenges in accuracy and cultural nuance. Read more.
Thomson Reuters Wins Landmark AI Copyright Case
Thomson Reuters secured a significant AI copyright victory against Ross Intelligence, setting a precedent for legal disputes over AI training data. The case underscores the complexities of copyright law in AI development and raises concerns about unauthorized use of protected content. As the legal landscape evolves, users must be mindful of intellectual property risks when interacting with AI tools. Read more.
AI and Copyright: Can AI-Generated Content Be Protected?
The U.S. Copyright Office’s latest report clarifies that AI-generated content alone cannot be copyrighted under current American law, which has overlaps with Canadian regulations on fair use. While writing a prompt itself is not enough to claim copyright, AI-generated elements can be protected if they are part of a broader human-created work. The report suggests that no new copyright laws are needed at this time to address AI-related intellectual property concerns, though it remains a rapidly evolving area. Read more.
New Grok 3 Release Tops AI Leaderboards
Grok 3, a new AI model from X (formerly Twitter), has surged to the top of LLM leaderboards, showcasing impressive performance in reasoning and problem-solving tasks. The model was developed quickly and has received mixed reactions, with some praising its capabilities while others debate the influence of “based” opinions approved by Musk. Despite controversy, Grok 3 is proving to be a competitive alternative in the AI space. Read more.
Chatbot Arena: Compare AI Models in Real-Time
Chatbot Arena provides an interactive leaderboard that allows users to directly compare and chat with leading AI models. This tool helps researchers and AI enthusiasts analyze performance differences across various large language models in real-time. It offers a valuable benchmark for evaluating new AI releases and understanding the nuances of different models. Read more.
Thinking Machines Lab: Mira Murati’s Bold New AI Venture
Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has launched Thinking Machines Lab, a new AI startup focused on advancing next-generation AI. Rich highlighted the company’s focus on innovation, safety, and scalability in a competitive landscape. He emphasized Murati’s expertise in AI development and her potential to shape the industry. The discussion also explored how the startup aims to stand out through ethical AI practices and cutting-edge research. Read more.
Tool of the Week
Tool of the Week: LM Studio
What is LM Studio?
LM Studio is a locally-run AI tool that allows users to deploy and interact with various large language models (LLMs) directly on their own computers without relying on third-party servers. Unlike cloud-based AI services like ChatGPT, LM Studio does not store or remember user input, ensuring a higher level of privacy and security. It supports a range of different AI models, including reasoning models and newer approaches like MLX, making it a versatile platform for AI enthusiasts, researchers, and developers. The software is designed to work on most computers built within the last five years, making it accessible to a broad user base.
How is it used?
Users can download and run AI models locally on their computers, eliminating the need for an internet connection or remote cloud processing. This allows for faster responses, greater control over computations, and improved data security, particularly for those working with sensitive information or intellectual property. Unlike traditional AI models hosted on external servers, LM Studio keeps all processing on the user’s device, preventing data from being sent elsewhere. The platform is also compatible with a variety of models, including DeepSeek and GPT-based architectures, giving users flexibility in choosing the best AI for their specific needs.
What is it used for?
LM Studio is particularly useful for AI research, personal data analysis, and secure AI-driven applications where privacy is a concern. Since it runs offline and does not store user inputs, it is ideal for individuals or businesses handling confidential information that they may not want to share with cloud-based AI providers. It also serves as a powerful tool for testing different AI models, allowing users to compare reasoning capabilities and analyze how models process information. Additionally, upcoming evaluation tools within LM Studio will help users better understand how different models “think”, making it a valuable resource for AI transparency and model assessment.
Explore LM Studio here.
Without a PIA, instructors cannot require students use the tool or service without providing alternatives that do not require use of student private information
Questions and Answers
Each studio ends with a question and answer session whereby attendees can ask questions of the pedagogy experts and technologists who facilitate the sessions. We have published a full FAQ section on this site. If you have other questions about GenAI usage, please get in touch.
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